


Fabricated Truths

by orphan_account



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bad Ending, But my brain has been attacking me to write this, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Crushes, Crushing, Dangan Ronpa Spoilers, Death, Deep Conversations, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Heavy Angst, I might extend it, I want to write FuyuKuzu too, Ibuki is Souda's homie in this, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Minor Sonia Nevermind/Tanaka Gundham, Non-Canon Relationship, One Shot, Panic Attacks, Possibly Unrequited Love, References to Depression, Secret Crush, So take it before I start on the super long FuyuKuzu thing I plan on writing, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Super Dangan Ronpa 2 Spoilers, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Love, canon divergant, lots of talking, maybe a one shot, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:35:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23190283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The moment he set foot on Jabberwock Island, Kazuichi Souda was infatuated with Gundham Tanaka. But, by putting up a facade to conceal his feelings for the breeder, he may have sealed their fate from the start.
Relationships: Soda Kazuichi & Mioda Ibuki, Soda Kazuichi & Tanaka Gundham, Soda Kazuichi/Tanaka Gundham, Sonia Nevermind & Soda Kazuichi
Comments: 10
Kudos: 137





	Fabricated Truths

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I really hope people see this and enjoy it as I have been meaning to write it for a while! The idea for this has been on my mind for a long time and I needed to get it out there, so I hope you enjoy it! An important note, this fic mentions thoughts of suicide/depression once or twice, so keep that in mind and stay safe!*
> 
> *There will be quite a few divergences from the canon story of SDR2, and a Souda may be a little OOC.
> 
> (PS: I will be likely writing a more lengthy fic pertaining to Fuyuhiko and Souda in the future, so if you enjoy this story, please keep an eye out for that!)

Kazuichi Souda thought that he was going to enjoy this school trip, but so far, he was hating every moment of it. The group of Ultimates had only just arrived at their tropical destination, and he was already regretting his choice to come. However, he couldn't exactly place his finger on the reason why he was there in the first place. The mechanic knew that he had elected to come on the trip with his class, but he wasn't sure what had taken place before his arrival. Everything before his boarding of the plane was a blur in his memory, which was quite annoying, but he had to make the most of it. From the looks of it, there was no going back anyways.

After acquainting himself with his new surroundings, the scrawny mechanic decided to have a look around. He recognized almost everyone as his classmates, but he wasn't really sure how. He couldn't recall ever attending any previous classes with them. But at that moment, it didn't matter, because one particular student had caught his eye. Tall, pale, and dressed rather interestingly, Kazuichi found himself staring at the figure next to him. His face was stern yet soft, and his dual-toned hair shined in the sunlight. Not to mention his jawline and cheekbones. As he admired the face of the man at his side, Kazuichi couldn't help but feel his heartbeat steadily pick up. They had only just barely become acquainted, and from a standpoint of appearances alone, he was infatuated.  
Suddenly, the breeder turned to face Kazuichi, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. The mechanic's eyes immediately widened and he gave a pointy-toothed grin, scratching the back of his head.  
"May I help you...?"  
The deep voice of the man beside him nearly made Kazuichi explode right then and there on the pathway to the cottages. His voice was like rich, smooth honey. Music to his ears. It took him a moment to recollect himself and respond as the breeder looked on in mild confusion.  
"Ah, the name's Kazuichi Souda! I'm the Ultimate Mechanic! Nice to meet'cha!" He said cheerily, offering his hand. After a moment of silence, the breeder began to speak.  
"Greetings, mortal. I am Gundham Tanaka, the Ultimate Breeder! Remember it well, for it is the name that will one day rule this world!"  
Although a little confused, Kazuichi only nodded, shaking his hand vigorously as soon as the two came into contact. Gundham gave him an annoyed look.  
"You fiend. There is no need to be so aggressive in your greeting."  
Kazuichi realized what he was doing, yanking his hand away and stuffing it back into the pocket of his jumpsuit.  
"Sorry bout' that." He grumbled, looking down at his bright yellow sneakers against the stone pathway. Silence filled the air between them and the mechanic scuffed his feet on the ground, unsure of what to say next. Obviously he wasn't going to immediately and outright say he was attracted to Gundham. They had met mere minutes ago. And besides, it would only tarnish any chance he had at befriending him over the course of the trip. Besides, Kazuichi didn't even want to admit to himself how handsome he found the breeder. He had been trying in vain for ages to convince himself he was straight, and this instance was no help. He needed some form of distraction. Hopefully, the other students would finish unpacking and arrive at the meeting point soon. The tension was becoming unbearable.

Almost as if in sync with Kazuichi's thoughts, the rest of the students either emerged from their cottages or arrived from other locations around the island. Quickly, he began introducing himself to all of the others, making a point to try and attract the attention of one of the females. Hopefully, if it worked, it would provide enough of a mental distraction for himself that he could continue to ignore his blatant feelings for the breeder. One particular female student caught his eye, a young woman in a green dress with long blonde hair and a black bow. She had stricken up a conversation with Gundham, and the two seemed to be getting along much better than when Kazuichi had attempted conversation. Maybe, if he pursued her, he could use it as an excuse to get closer with- no. The mechanic suppressed that thought. He would pursue her not because he wanted to get to know Gundham, but because she was attractive. Right? Right. That was the only reason.  
After finishing up most of his introductions, Kazuichi inhaled sharply, puffed out his chest ever so slightly and waltzed over to the blonde girl.  
"Hey there, I don't think we've met yet. I'm Kazuichi Souda, the Ultimate Mechanic!"  
Hearing the voice behind her, the blonde girl turned around to face Kazuichi with a bright and cheery smile.  
"Hello there! I am Sonia Nevermind, the Ultimate Princess! It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance!" She hummed, extending a dainty hand for him to shake. He did just that, unaware of the fact Gundham was still standing nearby, observing the interaction. The mechanic took another sharp breath inward.  
_"Okay, Souda. Time to get your flirt on."_ He thought to himself. He had never been particularly good at flirting with anyone, so hopefully, it would all go over well.  
"Ultimate Princess..? Wow! D'you mind if I call you Miss Sonia?" The mechanic asked, mentally slapping himself for asking such an utterly stupid question. Sonia's eyes widened a little and she raised her hands up in front of her, waving them slightly. An expression of tension crossed her face.  
"That is not necessary, but if you wish to you may." Clearly she was uncomfortable with the idea of being addressed as such, but Kazuichi didn't feel like attempting to flirt with anyone else. He would have to settle for Sonia. Besides, she seemed to have taken a liking to the breeder, so if they got close, he could- The mechanic stopped himself again. No. He was going after Sonia now, not Gundham. Sonia. What would his family think if they knew that deep down, he was attracted to another guy? Surely they would disown him. There was no other way. If he was to come back with a partner, it would be her and no one else. Not any of the other girls and definitely not Gundham.  
"Thanks, Miss Sonia!" He chimed, and she only nodded, immediately turning back to pick up her conversation with Gundham again. Kazuichi let out a large sigh and slumped down a little bit. This was going to be tough. There was one motto and one motto only that the mechanic knew he would be living by until their time at the island came to a close.

Fake it till you make it.

◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤

Killing game? _Killing game?_ No. No, no, no. There was no way this could be real. Kazuichi was trying to convince himself it was all some kind of sick joke meant to scare them, and that they would be leaving in a week or two as originally planned. Not this. Never this. Sure, maybe his home life wasn't ideal, but Kazuichi didn't want to die alone on a random island at the hands of someone he barely knew! As the stuffed bear that had acknowledged itself as "Monokuma" disappeared from sight, the students were left to figure out what they wanted to do. Kazuichi found himself drowning in an ocean of panic. He stood there, staring at the ground beneath his feet, body trembling so hard someone could have thought there was an earthquake. He was too young to die. This couldn't be happening. The mechanic would have found himself in a full-on panic attack unless a large, comforting hadn't been placed on his shoulder. Trying to contain the scream that bubbled up in Kazuichi'd throat, he whirled around only to be met with the concerned face of Gundham.  
"Do not fret, Mortal. Everything will be alright."  
Was Gundham actually trying to comfort him? Or was he just trying to get him to stop standing there and join the group? Kazuichi looked into his eyes, a panicked expression crossing his face.  
"Y-ya think so?" He stammered, suddenly finding himself immersed in Gundham's eyes.  
"I am sure of it. The Gods of Darkness will not allow such a thing to happen."  
There was no denying Gundham was incredibly strange, but Kazuichi found his eccentric behavior comforting somehow.  
"If you say so..." The mechanic huffed. Then, he went silent, staring into Gundham's eyes for a moment. The fact that they were two different colors made it somehow easier to get lost in them, and before he realized it, Kazuichi found his face flushing slightly. Gundham raised an eyebrow.  
"Fiend, are you feeling alright?"  
This snapped Kazuichi out of his entranced state.  
"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine."  
"Are you sure? Your face seems to have gone red."  
Kazuichi swallowed. Maybe pretending to have the hots for Sonia wouldn't work out so well after all.  
"Hm. Maybe I'm too hot. I'm wearin' a jumpsuit after all."  
"That is true. If you begin to feel unwell, you should visit the purple-haired one." Gundham said, removing his hand from the mechanic's shoulder. With that, he turned and was gone. Kazuichi sighed. This was going to be a lot harder than he thought.

A few hours passed, and food was served at the restaurant so the students could have dinner. Kazuichi found himself sitting at a table with all of the other students. The chatter amongst them all was making it difficult for the mechanic to even hear his own thoughts, and he poked at his food with his utensil. As he blankly picked at his food, someone tapped him on the shoulder, causing him to look up. It was Hajime, who sat next to him at said table.  
"Is everything okay? You've barely touched your food." He said, looking at Kazuichi with concern.  
"I'm okay. Just thinkin' I guess."  
Hajime looked in the direction Kazuichi was now staring, then back to him. He smirked.  
"You've totally got the hots for Sonia, don't you?" He questioned, and Kazuichi's face flushed bright pink.  
_That's what you think_ was all he wanted to say, but in order to keep the facade going, he couldn't. It had only been a few hours, why was this so difficult?  
"Heh. Yeah, you got me." He said, awkwardly grinning and scratching his neck.  
"Looks like you might have some competition." Hajime pointed his thumb towards the end of the table where Sonia sat with Gundham, eagerly talking about something and holding what appeared to be four small hamsters. Kazuichi frowned, eyes glued to the breeder. He sighed wistfully.  
"I guess so."  
Hajime laughed, turning back to eat his food and chat with the strange white-haired boy next to him, whom if Kazuichi remembered correctly was named Nagito. They seemed to get along rather well. The mechanic sighed, finishing his food and leaving the restaurant to return to his cottage. It was still an hour or so before the Monokuma announcement was set to go off, but he didn't really care. He needed some time to himself. Little did he know, that as he quickly exited the facility, Gundham was watching him with curiosity.

As soon as Kazuichi returned to his cottage, he removed his jumpsuit and beanie, discarding them onto the floor before climbing into his bed without a second thought. He didn't get under the covers, just stared up at the ceiling in silence, mind racing. This was turning out to be exceptionally difficult, and it had only been a few hours since he first became enamored with the breeder. Deep down, he knew that there was no making these feelings simply disappear. But at least on the outside, he could feign a crush on Sonia, if he managed to get by without getting killed. Just that thought made him shudder.  
Moments later, Kazuichi decided to close his eyes briefly, and even though it wasn't yet time for everyone else to return to the cottages, he found himself drifting into the realm of sleep quite quickly. He dreamt of returning home that night.

◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤

_"Attention students! It's time to wake up! Breakfast will be served at the restaurant shortly, so get moving! Upupupu!_

The mechanic opened his eyes groggily, rubbing them and sitting up. He sat in bed for a moment, trying to wake himself up. Were they supposed to get dressed before going to eat? Hopefully not. He didn't have the energy to brush his pink mane of hair, which was only so crazy because he'd neglected to put it up before bed like usual. With a tired and heavy sigh, Kazuichi pulled himself from the comfort of his bed, trudging into the bathroom to attempt to get his appearance under control. If he wanted to impress Sonia, he'd have to look like less of a mess. It took him quite some time, but eventually, the mechanic got dressed, slapped his beanie on and exited his cottage to head to the restaurant.  
Much to his surprise, Kazuichi wasn't the last one to arrive. Gundham and Nagito had both yet to show up, but everyone else was either receiving food from the buffet or sitting down and talking. Hajime offered a half-hearted wave, which Kazuichi returned before grabbing something to eat and sitting down at the table. It was rather crowded, but he found himself a seat between the gymnast, Akane, and the loud and eccentric musician, Ibuki. The latter turned towards him with a wild smile, waving at him even though they were right next to each other. "Hey, hey, hey! Good morning, Souda! Ibuki hopes you had a good night's sleep!"  
Kazuichi offered her a tired grin.  
"I guess you could say that." He said, eating his breakfast and staring longingly at the empty spot next to Sonia. Hajime gave him a look.  
"You sure? You look beat." Hajime said, taking a bite of his food. Kazuichi shook his head.  
"Guess it's just weird sleepin' at some random cottage when someone could sneak in and kill ya at any moment!"  
This got an uncomfortable laugh from Akane and Hajime, Ibuki looking confused.  
"What makes you think anyone would actually try that? Ibuki thinks everyone here is quite friendly!"  
Kazuichi looked down at his plate in silence. The rest of the meal was rather awkward for him. He just wished Gundham wasn't taking so long so he would have someone to distract himself looking at.

Most of the day went by fairly quickly for Kazuichi. He'd managed to awkwardly flirt with Sonia a number of times, and by the end of it, he had outwardly declared Gundham his romantic rival. That was an incredibly stupid move on his part, considering he never wanted that to happen, but what was he to do? He had to keep up his loud, annoying and energetic persona. He couldn't show is fear or weakness, let alone his attraction to another male. Who knew what the others would say? It was exhausting, but it had to be done.  
That evening at dinner, Byakuya announced he would be hosting a party in the dining hall of the hotel the following night in order for the occupants of the island to get to know each other better. Everyone simultaneously agreed this was a good idea, even Kazuichi, who hoped that maybe if they all grew closer as a group, that they wouldn't actually kill anyone. He slept easier that night knowing that if it all went well, no blood would have to be shed, and he could stay on the island in peace. Maybe if that happened, he would be able to work up the courage to try and just befriend Gundham. Having his friendship would be enough.

◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤

The next evening, everyone gathered together for the party. Well, mostly everyone. Peko was gone for most of the evening, as was Nekomaru, waiting for the bathroom to free up. Fuyuhiko never showed. But aside from that, all was well. Kazuichi found himself talking to Akane, Ibuki and Hajime again. They all stood near the table chatting for quite a while. The whole time, Kazuichi was staring past Ibuki and at Gundham, who was holding his hamsters and speaking with Sonia. Without even realizing it, he let out a dreamy sigh. Hajime stifled a laugh, Akane looked confused and Ibuki looked towards the direction Kazuichi was staring. Suddenly, she became giddy and hopped in front of the scrawny mechanic, jumping lightly up and down. Akane shrugged and kept eating whilst Hajime walked away to chat with Chiaki and Nagito.  
"Ibuki thinks Souda likes someone!" She chirped, booping her finger onto his forehead. Kazuichi's face went bright red.  
"Hey! What makes ya say that?" He said defensively, swatting her hand away. Ibuki grinned.  
"You've been staring at Sonia all evening!"  
"Not to mention your shameless flirtin' with her!" Akane piped up, winking at Kazuichi. He reached up and pulled his beanie over his eyes. At least the facade was working.  
"Okay, yeah, fine." He grumbled, managing to pass it off. Things were going more smoothly than expected.  
Ibuki was about to say something more to the mechanic when suddenly, the lights in the room cut out. Someone let out a hell shriek, and Kazuichi tried to run but tripped over someone else's foot and collapsed to the ground.  
"Shit!" He yelped amongst the commotion, scrambling to try and get to his feet again.  
"Hey, who cut the lights!? Ibuki can't see!" The musician cried out.  
"What the fuck?" Someone else yelled, obviously a male.  
"This isn't funny!" Another female voice called.  
Kazuichi managed to grab onto something and stumble to his feet, but not before almost tripping again. Suddenly, as if it was timed, the lights turned back on. The mechanic slumped against the wall, breathing heavily in a mild panic as he surveyed the room. Everyone had somehow gotten scattered, and one of the main tables cloths had a large lump on it, almost as if someone was leaning against it. The room was so silent you could hear a grain of sand hit the floor. Amongst the silence, Hajime said something.  
"What's under the table?" Nobody dared to look but Hajime.  
What followed was not to be expected.

As Kazuichi looked down at the bloodied and maimed body of Byakuya Togami, he could feel himself lose all of his senses. There was an actual dead body right in front of him. Kazuichi wasn't sure whether to throw up, cry, or run away. Sure, he expected maybe someone would die eventually. But not so soon, and not like this. He was frozen in fear, much like when Monokuma had announced the killing game. But this time it was so much worse. Without even realizing it, tears began to slip down his cheeks and he took a step back. He pulled his beanie over his face, not wanting to show weakness. He was supposed to be a funny, energetic friend. With all the screaming and confusion around him, however, nobody seemed to notice. Nobody but one person.  
Pulling his beanie back onto his head, Kazuichi walked out of the room as fast as he could without running, bursting through the doors of the hotel and outside. He needed some fresh air to calm his nerves. The warm outside breeze blowing against his face almost felt wrong as he sunk down, folding his legs up to his chest and staring outward for a moment. The waves from the ocean helped him calm down, but not completely. There was still a tingling sense of fear and panic in his core, and he tried to steady himself but to no avail. However, a deep and rather unexpected voice from nearby caught him off guard and he let out a small alarmed yell.  
"Are you alright, mortal?"  
Great. As if Kazuichi wasn't feeling scattered enough. The mechanic stood back up again, turning to face the breeder, who had his arms crossed and a look of stern confusion across his face. It was most likely from the murder that had just happened.  
"Huh? Oh, yea. I'm just fine. Wasn't expecting that to happen, but, ya know." He said, scuffing his sneakers on the pavement pathway.  
"Are you sure that is all? You may be a hideous fiend, but the Gods have whispered to me that you may be in turmoil."  
Confusion filled Kazuichi's eyes and he hunched over a little more than normal.  
"Are you deaf or somethin'? I said I'm fine." He didn't mean for it to come across so rude, but Kazuichi hated when people worried about him, let alone is unrequited love interest.  
"It does not seem as such but... I will not force you to speak. If you need someone to speak with, I am here, although I may not be able to understand your mortal troubles." Gundham paused for a moment. "I am sure everyone is just as shaken about the slaughter of Byakuya as you are, pink-haired one." With that, Gundham turned around and re-entered the hotel to help with the investigation. Kazuichi was dumbfounded. Did that really just happen, or was Gundham messing with him? He didn't know, but part of him was exploding with joy. Maybe there was hope for them yet.

◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤

The class trial sure was interesting, and Teruteru's execution was even worse. Kazuichi never would have guessed he'd see his friend get fried alive in a volcano, but that was exactly what happened. It was almost too confusing to affect him. Almost. As he trudged out of Monokuma Rock towards the cottages, he couldn't help but hear Teruteru's horrified screams as he was haplessly killed by that sadistic bear. Just the thought of it made his stomach churn.  
Kazuichi looked up from the ground, spotting Sonia walking alone towards her cottage. Deciding to talk to her, he brought his walk to a sprint, slowing his pace once more once he was at her side. "Hey, Miss Sonia."  
"Hello, Kazuichi." As she spoke, the princess didn't even bother to look at Kazuichi.  
"How're you holding up?" He questioned. This was awkward. Clearly she didn't want to speak to him, but for some reason, he just kept on pushing.  
"I am fine. Thank you for your concern." Her tone was flat.  
"D'you want an escort to your cottage? I c-"  
"That will not be necessary. Goodbye, Kazuichi." She was blunt and upfront about wanting him gone, so with a frown, the mechanic slowed his pace so that he was walking alone again. He hated how uncomfortable he made her. Deep down, he really just wanted to be her friend. But his flirting to conceal the truth made that nearly impossible. Kazuichi let out a long sigh, rubbing his eyes as he continued the trek back to the cottages. No one even bothered to check on him. From behind, however, Gudham was watching once more.

When Kazuichi arrived at his cottage, he immediately locked the door, stripping off his jumpsuit and beanie. He walked into the bathroom, removing his contacts and tying his shaggy pink hair into a ponytail. He then grabbed his glasses from the counter, found a seat in his bed and opened up a random book he'd found on the shelf on the day they first arrived. Reading wasn't really his thing, but at least it was something to distract him from the image of Byakuya's bloodied body, Teruteru's horrified screams, and his overwhelming emotions all at once. The mechanic was just starting to get immersed in his book when a knock on the door startled him so much that he dropped it on the floor.  
Was it someone here to kill him? Was he about to die? What if he annoyed everyone so much that they'd sent someone to finally finish him off? As a wave of terror crashed over Kazuichi, he sunk down a little where he sat. Another knock.  
"Go away!" He yelled, biting his lip. It hurt because of his pointed teeth, but it was the only thing he could really do to steady his nerves.  
One more knock. "I can see you in there!"  
It sounded like a female's voice. Maybe it was Sonia? Was she fed up with him to the point of murder? No. It didn't sound like her. The voice wasn't quiet like Mikan or Chiaki's, and it wasn't abrasive like Mahiru or Hiyoko's. It didn't sound like Peko or Akane, so that could only mean...  
"Does Ibuki have to break open the window? Let me in!"  
Oh. It was just her. Kazuichi breathed a deep sigh of relief.  
"Coming." He stood from his spot in bed, unlocking the door and opening it to allow Ibuki inside. She skipped in and whirled around just as the mechanic closed the door again.  
"Ibuki wants to talk to you about something!" That couldn't be very good. It could mean a number of things, and it could even end up with her attempting to kill him. You could never be too careful.  
"S-sure. Whad'ya want?" He muttered, sitting down on the floor next to his bed. She joined him, sitting across from him on her knees. A heavy silence filled the room and Kazuichi messed with his braid out of nerves. It was a habit he'd picked up once he'd let his hair get long enough to actually braid it.

"You don't actually like Sonia, do you?"

The words hit Kazuichi like a knife to the chest. His eyes widened and he folded his legs up to his chest, cheeks flushing a bright red.  
"What? Of course, I do. I mean. Yes. Yeah. I like Miss Sonia...!" He sputtered, aggressively undoing and redoing his braid as some form of distraction. Ibuki raised an eyebrow.  
"Are you sure? Because Ibuki thinks you hang around Sonia in order to get closer to someone else." Kazuichi bit his lip even harder, to the point he drew blood.  
"Damnit... ugh." He used his bare wrist to wipe the blood away from his lip, staring at the floor space between him and the musician. "Where'd you get that idea?'  
This was not going well. He wasn't sure if he was being too obvious or if Ibuki was just more perceptive than she looked, but either way, there was no way Kazuichi would be able to cover it up.  
"I noticed you staring at Gundham earlier."  
Kazuichi swallowed the lump in his throat.  
"It's him, isn't it? He's the reason you keep talking to Sonia, right?"  
He hadn't expected Ibuki to be so upfront about it, but here they were. There was obviously no going back. She had seen past his poor fabrication of a crush, and now he had to deal with the aftermath. Kazuichi took a deep breath and looked up, meeting Ibuki's gaze.  
"Yeah."  
The room swelled with silence once more as Ibuki ran her hand up and down the carpet, thinking. This only made the mechanic's nerves grow even more.  
"You know... Sonia talked to me earlier." She finally said, and Kazuichi's breath hitched. She'd never said it was about him directly, but he had a gut feeling that it was.  
"She wishes you would stop treating her like a prize to be won."  
For some reason, just this statement was enough to make Kazuichi's eyes sting with tears. He'd never wanted that. All he wanted was to be Sonia's friend, but in order to conceal the embarrassing truth, he had hurt her. Now there was no way she would consider speaking to him, was there? He let out a shaky sigh, removing his glasses to wipe away the tears as subtly as possible. Ibuki frowned, scooting a little closer.  
"Hey, hey! Don't cry! Ibuki just thought she should tell you because if she didn't, things could get worse. But maybe she shouldn't have..."  
"No. I'm glad you told me," Kazuichi said, although his voice sounded strained. He was still using all of his strength to keep the tears at bay.  
"I guess I was just so caught up with... ya know. That I never noticed how creepy I was bein'." He fell silent again and the musician patted his shoulder in an attempt of comfort.  
"She never said you were creepy! But yeah. Maybe lay off a little."  
Kazuichi nodded feebly. Tears were still forming in his eyes, and at this point, he was helpless to stop them. All of the turmoil and emotions he'd kept at bay from the start all came spilling out at once, and before he knew it, the mechanic was sobbing into his hands. Ibuki sat down off her knees and into a cross-legged position, removing her hand from his shoulder and pulling him into an embrace. Kazuichi found himself crying onto her shoulder, which even though it was rather embarrassing, it was also nice. It made him feel less alone. This continued for several minutes until the sobs eventually tapered off into quieter cries, and eventually, they became soft hiccups, barely to be heard. Ibuki pulled away from the hug and used her hand to tilt the mechanic's chin up, giving him a warm smile.  
"Ibuki thinks that there's nothing to worry about. Everything will be okay. Oh! And don't worry, she won't tell anyone about your secret feelings for Gundham!"  
Kazuichi cringed a little, shushing her with a small and feeble laugh. "Keep it down, why dont'cha? Someone could hear you!"  
Ibuki giggled, standing up and offering a hand to Kazuichi. He took it and stood, walking with her to the door of the cottage just as the night time announcement rang out over the island.  
"Goodnight, Kazuichi!" She said cheerily, beginning to skip towards her cottage. Kazuichi waved, but before the musician was completely out of sight, he called out to her.  
"Hey, Ibuki!'  
She turned around, looking confused.

"Thank you."

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The next few days were painfully average. Everyone went about their own business, exploring the new island, hanging out and the like. The trust between the group had seemed to thin, but it wasn't prevalent. Kazuichi had been trying his best to keep away from Sonia more, which she seemed to notice. Because of this, she became less cold towards the mechanic and openly talked to him on a select few occasions. Ibuki and Kazuichi had begun hanging out more often. Whether it was to eat together, spend time at the beach together, or even just hang out in one another's cottages, they would make sure to spend time as friends. The evening after the first trial had brought them to become good friends. Most importantly, however, Gundham and Kazuichi were slowly becoming friends. They never went out of their ways to spend time together, but they had held a few friendly conversations and even sat together to eat once. It was overwhelming to Kazuichi at first, but he quickly learned to keep his feelings in check in order to keep things from becoming awkward. Even if Gundham saw him as a romantic rival of some sort, it was better than nothing. Things were going smoothly. That was until a tragic series of events occurred that no one could have predicted.

It started with Mahiru's murder. No one had seen it coming, and quite frankly, no one suspected the culprit either. Peko had done it, and Fuyuhiko was partially the reason why, as well as the Twilight Syndrome Murder Case. Everyone was slightly shocked at this, but nothing was as shocking as the events of the execution. In some attempt to stop it, Fuyuhiko had rushed out onto the execution floor, and in turn had his eye cut out by Peko, who was under the control of Monokuma the whole time. It ended in a bloodbath as Peko was brutally killed by one of the robots, and Fuyuhiko, in critical condition, was rushed to the hospital on the newly revealed third island. Kazuichi made a point to visit him once or twice while he was still in the hospital to make sure he was holding up alright. After he was finally discharged, he managed to end up in the hospital once more, this time for slicing his stomach open in a grand apology to the rest of the class. Everything had gone from bad to worse in a couple of days, and Kazuichi was unsure of how to process it all. At least he had Ibuki at his side to help him through it all, right? Wrong.  
Despair Disease soon took hold of her, Akane, and Nagito, and soon enough, she was in the hospital as well. The whole time, Kazuichi was incredibly fidgety and nervous. What if the disease was contagious? What if soon, the rest of the students were no longer themselves, now stuck on the island without a single thought of sense left to help them escape? The paranoid thoughts were overwhelming Kazuichi, and the fact that he was now left to deal with it almost completely alone didn't help. Hopefully, if Mikan did her job, the disease would be cured with no bloodshed and it would all be over and done with. All he had to do was ride it out and play along as if nothing had changed.

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A few days passed, and lo and behold, things continued to spiral. Hajime had discovered what appeared to be a video over the communication system of Ibuki committing suicide, which in turn ended up being a fluke. Mikan, overtaken by the dispair disease, had decided to kill Ibuki. However, Hiyoko stumbled upon her at just the wrong moment, leading to her bitter end as well. The trial that led to discovering this was stressful, and by the time they were finally allowed to leave, Kazuichi felt like he had aged twenty years. His best and only friend was dead. He was completely alone now. Day by day, it was getting harder for Kazuichi to hide his anxieties and lack of confidence, which was no good. The only thing giving him the will to continue was his feelings for Gundham. As he returned to his cottage after the execution, he daydreamt about what it would be like if he confessed. Just thinking about it gave the mechanic a warm feeling in his chest, and although he was ridden with fear, it helped. He slept a little easier that night.  
The next morning at breakfast, Monomi revealed that another island was finally open for exploration. The announcement seemed to lift the disparaged feeling that hung over the group, and they all agreed to set off together to find out what was in store for them. Kazuichi was going it alone now, and although it hurt, he used it as an excuse to try and get closer to Gundham. Sonia was still rejecting his advances, but as long as she was allowing him to keep trying, he had an excuse to be near the breeder. He trailed behind the pair as they crossed the long bridge to the next island.  
Upon arrival, it was revealed to be a theme park, much to the delight of many of them. However, it felt much like a ghost town. The food stalls, prize counters, and rides were all completely deserted, and the park itself was looking a little worse for wear. This didn't completely dampen the delight of finally having something else to do, though. The group split and Kazuichi found himself wandering around the park alone, traversing the empty isles of prize games and food stalls. Eventually, however, he stumbled upon Akane, who seemed to be attempting to get food from one of the stalls. The mechanic couldn't help but snicker. Akane whirled to face him, face lighting up.  
"Hey, Kazu! Come help me with this, will ya?"  
Kazu? Not even Ibuki had given him a nickname. Akane really was nice... he needed to make an effort to get closer to her. With a wave, Kazuichi started walking towards her.  
"I'm comin'. What'cha trying to do?" He questioned as she stared inside the booth at the food inside. All of it seemed fresh, which only made it being locked up all the more confusing.  
"Help me get this out! I'm hungry!"  
"Dontcha think Monokuma locked it up for a reason?"  
"I don't give a shit!" Kazuichi let out another laugh, moving Akane to the side to try and pry open the sliding window. It was a dumb idea, considering she was likely much stronger than him, but he did it none the less.  
"Here, grab that other handle and push," Kazuichi said with a grunt, pulling at the window. Akane obliged, and moments later, she was inside the stall grabbing snacks. Kazuichi smiled as she climbed back out, eyes sparkling.  
"You're a life saver, Kazu!" She beamed, and the mechanic grinned in return.  
"It was nothin'. C'mon, let's go explore the rest of this place!"  
Together, they set off towards the rest of the empty park. Kazuichi started to feel a little less lonely again.

After wandering around for a while, the pair found themselves sitting outside a large roller coaster. They were having a mindless conversation about something when Akane suddenly fell silent. She stared at the pavement below them with a dreamy look in her eyes, and Kazuichi swallowed.  
"You okay there?" He questioned, elbowing her in the side.  
"Have you ever been in love, Kazuichi?"  
The mechanic's eyes widened and his cheeks flushed pink. Why was she asking him this all of a sudden? And HIM of all people? He was the island's resident loser when it came to love. Why would she think he was someone good to confide in?  
"Me? Uh. Why does it matter anyway, huh?" He said awkwardly, beginning the process of fidgeting with his braid.  
"Oh, I was just wonderin' cause..." The gymnast paused. "I think I'm in love with Nekomaru. He makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, ya know?"  
Kazuichi held back a sigh. He knew exactly what she meant. The butterflies, the warm feeling, the wistful wishing that something would spark the flame. Without even realizing it, he said the exact same thing as Akane out loud.  
"That good feeling that you want to last forever."  
Akane's eyes lit up.  
"So you have been in love! You gotta tell me, is it someone on this island? It's Sonia isn't it?"  
The mechanic's grin faltered a little bit. He could trust Akane, right? She wouldn't judge him. She had a big mouth, but that didn't mean that she would go around telling everyone his secret. It would be okay.  
"Not exactly..." He said, ears burning in embarrassment.  
"No? Then why are you always flirtin' with her, huh?"  
"Cause she's always with Gundham."  
Akane clapped her hands together, face glittering with an expression of surprise, yet excitement.  
"No way! You like the weird hamster guy!" She said all too loudly.  
"Hey, hey! Keep quiet! What if someone else is here?" He said, shushing the gymnast as she laughed. This experience was reminding him of his time with Ibuki, which was quite bittersweet. It was nice to connect with someone else, though, considering Kazuichi's slowly deteriorating mental state.  
"I shoulda known that's why you make fun of him all the time! It's what guys do, ain't it?"  
Kazuichi laughed half-heartedly. "Hah, I guess. And don't tell anyone about this or I'll-" That wasn't the most appropriate statement for a killing game. "-Get really upset."  
Akane punched him on the arm. "Your secret is safe with me, Kazu."  
The pair chatted for a little while longer, and the gymnast decided she was going to confess to Nekomaru the next day. She also urged Kazuichi to confess to Gundham, but he refused. There was no way in hell he would actually ask him out. If anyone else knew, he was surely dead.

Eventually, the group of students rejoined and all rode the roller coaster together. Kazuichi wasn't a fan, as he had terrible motion sickness, but Monokuma had promised something good at the end if they all went on it, so he obliged. The prize at the end turned out to be a fruit-themed funhouse, which in itself was a pretty horrible prize. However, the prize itself wasn't actually the funhouse. It was what awaited them inside. As the group boarded the small train inside, a fog overtook them, causing every single student to pass out. When they awoke, they were inside the funhouse, and Monokuma revealed that this was indeed the fourth motive. They were to be trapped inside until a murder was committed, and were deprived of food. To make matters worse, they were forced to awake at seven-o-clock sharp every morning to partake in "Monokuma Tai Chi", a sick form of torture to make them lose stamina and get hungrier faster. Finally, they were presented with the option of the "Final Dead Room." If they played a simple game of Russian roulette, they had a chance of finding a clue that would help lead to their escape from the island. Of course, the students were upset about this. Akane seemed to be hit the hardest due to her love of food.  
That evening, Kazuichi sat on the bed in his room, staring into the empty darkness. He had chosen one of the crummiest rooms by mistake, which didn't help his current situation. He was overwhelmed by the new motive, the loss of his best friend, and his emotional conflict about what he wanted to do about Gundham. Having Akane on his side helped, but he was still torn through and through. If he didn't confess, he would have to continue pestering Sonia, which made him feel horrible. He would also still be pining, which was only getting worse. His attraction to Gundham only seemed to increase every time that he looked at him, which was becoming problematic. He knew sooner or later that he wouldn't be able to hold a basic conversation with him without getting flustered. However, on the other side of things, if he did confess, so many things could go wrong. Kazuichi would be running the incredibly high risk of being rejected, as well as the possibility that the breeder would tell everyone else and he would lose what little dignity he had left. If things went well, it would be a dream come true. But he just couldn't. Every single situation that could come out of him confessing began to play in Kazuichi's head, and he pulled his beanie down, trying to drown it all out. Without even realizing it, he had begun crying and soon buried his face in his arms so that no one else would hear his sobs through the thin walls. He was just a kid. He wasn't supposed to be falling hopelessly in love with someone under a life or death situation. He was supposed to be living out his teen years with school friends, doing dumb things and having fun. Why did he have to get involved with the dumb school trip in the first place? A knock on the door was the only thing that managed to snap the mechanic out of his meltdown.  
"W-whozzat?" He yelped, quickly going to try and dry his tears.  
"Mortal? Is everything alright in there? You seem to be in distress."  
Kazuichi sharply inhaled. Why did it have to be him? Not Akane, Hajime or anyone else? Wearily, Kazuichi stood to his feet and unlocked the door. Hopefully, it wasn't obvious that he had just been crying.  
"Oh. It's you." Kazuichi grumbled. As much as he wanted to be around the breeder, now was not the time. "I'm just fine. Did ya need somethin' or can I go back to bed?"  
Gundham looked genuinely concerned. "Is that really the case, pink-haired one? I thought I heard cries from inside your domain. However, it could have just been the Gods whispering to me once more..."  
The breeder tugged on his scarf a little and looked up as if he was thinking. Kazuichi swallowed. The pit in his stomach was only growing, and he could feel the tears beginning to threaten to fall again. This was not good. Just his presence was stirring Kazuichi's thoughts so hard he could barely make any of them out. Soon enough, he could feel his cheeks streak with the tears he had been trying so hard to withhold. The breeder looked down again and widened his eyes in surprise, unsure of what to do next.  
"Ah, Mortal...! It is alright. I am here if you would like someone to confide in."  
Why did Gundham have to be so stupidly perfect? His stupid hair, his stupid face, his stupid way of talking that was somehow charming, his stupid hamsters. It all made Kazuichi want to scream. But instead, he just sniffled and wiped his face.  
"You ain't gonna understand." He huffed, refusing to meet Gundham's gaze.  
"I am sure that even if your turmoil is not within my comprehension, I may still be of some assistance." He insisted.  
It felt like a do or die moment. He could confess his true feelings, or lie and shut the breeder out once more. Kazuichi's thoughts were scrambled. He couldn't just stand there and do nothing.  
"It's just..."  
What did he really have to lose? If he lost it all, so be it. It wasn't like death was an unfeasible option. Without a second thought, the mechanic gently took hold of Gundham's face and pulled him into a kiss. Kazuichi's body felt like it was about to melt as he pulled away from Gundham, who wore an expression of shock and confusion. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. Only then was it when the mechanic realized the gravity of his actions. Eyes widening, he took a stumbling step back, grabbing onto the door handle for support. Gravity felt as though it had turned against him.  
'I'm sorry." He sputtered, falling back even more.  
"Kazuichi, wait-" The door was slammed in Gundham's face before he had the chance to get another word out. Kazuichi was so overwhelmed with guilt that he didn't even notice when the breeder used his actual name for the first time.

Kazuichi couldn't breathe. He fumbled with the lock of his door, but it took him ages to actually be able to get it to work. His hands were too shaky. As the mechanic tripped away from the door and onto his bed, he felt the shock settle in. Why had he done that? Why did he kiss him? It wasn't a smart choice by any means. Not only had he revealed his true feelings, but he'd also screwed everything up beyond fixing it. He could never face Gundham, or Sonia for that matter, ever again. What if Gundham told everyone else? What if he was so upset that he tried to kill him? Kazuichi felt disconnected from himself, drowning in an endless sea of panic. Things could only get worse. He gripped his beanie, pulling it down over his eyes and drawing his knees up to his chest so he had somewhere to hide his face. Tears began to flow from his eyes slowly at first, and only moments later, he was uncontrollably sobbing. He had gone and ruined everything. The one thing that he was holding on to in order to not give up hope was gone now. He had no reason to continue. The mechanic sobbed for an indeterminate amount of time, and by the time he had worn himself out, the Monokuma announcement for evening time had sounded. Kazuichi stared into the darkness of his room, no longer having enough energy to continue crying. The same thought played inside his mind over and over.  
_Now that you've gone and ruined it, what reason do you have to live?_  
They weren't allowed to leave their rooms once the evening announcement had played, so Kazuichi couldn't do anything about it now. He would wait until after whatever the hell "Monokuma Tai Chi" was. Then, he could enter the final dead room and be done. No more emotional torment, no more grief, no more stupid killing game. Besides, with his sacrifice, everyone else could be allowed to leave. They wouldn't have to starve or suffer anymore. As he lay down in his bed, Kazuichi continued to formulate his plan. He didn't sleep well that night, but at least he wouldn't have to worry about being fatigued for much longer.

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Monokuma stayed true to his word, and at seven a.m. sharp, the students were awoken and ushered to the grape house to participate in Monokuma Tai Chi. It was grueling work, and by the end of it, the entire group was drained. Kazuichi was out of breath, and he slumped to the ground, breathing heavily. He could feel someone's stare on the back of his head but paid no mind to it. It was likely just Gundham. The thought made the mechanic shudder a little though, and when he finally regained the strength to stand, he rushed directly out of the grape house without looking back. He needed to get to the Final Dead Room before anyone else arrived at the strawberry house. Hopefully no one would follow him.  
Kazuichi arrived in the strawberry house minutes later, fatigued and starving. He felt weak and beaten down, but it didn't matter. In a few minutes, he wouldn't have to think about anything at all anymore. His hands gripped the doors to the Final Dead Room. He was ready to give up, so why hadn't he opened the door yet? It was like his body was forcing him to wait just a moment longer when all he wanted was to _die_. Every second he stood there was agonizing. Was he waiting for something? Or was someone else there, and he just didn't know it? Kazuichi quickly had his answer.

"What the hell are you doing?"

The voice crying out startled Kazuichi and he lost his grip on the handle, tensing up. Someone had followed him, hadn't they? He whirled around, heartbeat speeding up significantly in anxiety. The face he was met with, however, was not who he had expected.  
"Are ya really gonna try that?" Akane said, sounding frustrated. She looked equally as beaten and tired, yet her expression also showed anger, like she didn't want to deal with anything more at that moment. Kazuichi sharply inhaled.  
"I mean, what have I got to lose?" He said, scratching the back of his neck and forcing a small laugh.  
"What do ya mean by that, you big idiot? You could die!" Akane crossed her arms in front of her chest.  
What was he supposed to do? Admit he was gonna load the gun completely and kill himself? No way. Kazuichi leaned back a little, sticking his hands into his pockets.  
"If I win we can get a clue! Ain't that sorta important?" As he spoke, the mechanic realized how un-genuine his voice sounded. Unless the situation absolutely called for it, such as with his unrequited love, he was a terrible liar. Akane frowned.  
"You're hiding somethin', I know it! C'mon, you can tell me what's up. I'm your friend, ya know"  
Kazuichi swallowed, feeling a pit form in his stomach. Why did everything have to be so intense?  
"I kissed him"  
the words cut through the air like a knife and the gymnast's eyes widened in surprise. She clapped her hands together.  
"Woah! Good on ya! But that still don't explain why you're about to go into the dead room or whatever."  
"I... I kissed him and it was a mistake!" He suddenly snapped, biting the inside of his cheek. It hurt. "I realized it was a stupid fuckin' thing to do and I slammed the door. Now I'm here cause' I just.. I want to be out of everyone's hair, includin' his."  
Akane frowned.  
"What are you getting at, Kazu?"  
He couldn't take it anymore. Sniffled began to slip out, and soon small tears were rolling down his cheeks. Kazuichi tried to wipe them away as fast as he could.  
"I want to die, okay? It ain't that hard to figure out! I'm just a fuckin' nuisance to everyone here! If I die, all of you can get out of here safely!"  
Kazuichi was trying his best to control his overwhelming emotions, but they were getting more and more difficult to control. Akane bit her lip and stepped a little closer.  
"Hey, now. You ain't a nuisance. You're a genuinely good guy. Nobody here wants ya gone." She said, doing her best to comfort the quickly crumbling mechanic.  
"Just cause' you've made a few mistakes doesn't mean you deserve to die, okay? Gundham will forgive you. Maybe he even wants to talk it out."  
Kazuichi sniffed loudly, still trying his best to keep the tears at bay.  
"No way in hell." He croaked. "Come on. I'm sure everything feels like too much, but it ain't! You can get through it." "Gundham hates me now." "I doubt that! Have you seen the way he looks at you? If it ain't love, he wants to be your friend." "Whatever you say. Either way, I still only get in the way." Akane suddenly grabbed both of Kazuichi's hands and looked into his eyes. "I swear on my life that everyone here would do the same as I am if they saw ya like this." "You really think so...? I just. I think you guys would do better with me gone."  
"I'm positive! Everyone would miss you. It feels impossible, I know. But death really ain't the answer. Now c'mon, let's go. There ain't much to do, but we'll find somethin'!" Akane gave Kazuichi a light punch on the shoulder. He sniffled again.  
"Okay... if you say so. I'll buy it." He forced a small smile, and Akane's eyes sparkled.  
"That's the spirit! Let's go. Oh! And if I ever see ya near these doors again, I'll kill ya myself, got it?"  
He knew she wouldn't actually kill him, or so he hoped, but it was a fair warning. Kazuichi wiped away the last of the tears that had managed to escape and trickle down his face.  
"Alright, alright. I promise I ain't gonna try it again."  
With that, the pair set off to find some form of entertainment. Deep down inside, the mechanic was thankful Akane had managed to talk him down. As much as he was suffering, things really wouldn't change if he was gone other than the other students having to deal with another death. So why not stick around and help them where he could?

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What felt like the next few days went by slowly. Nothing new happened, other than Monokuma Tai Chi getting harder to do and the hunger pains becoming more prominent. Kazuichi had also been avoiding Gundham at all costs, which seemed to be working, as he hadn't seen him for those days other than during the dreaded Tai Chi in the morning. However, things took a turn when on the fourth day, a loud ringing noise awoke Kazuichi instead of the Monokuma announcement. He stumbled from his room, rubbing his eyes groggily and groaning.  
"Hey, hey! What's all that racket?" He complained, wandering into the main room where Fuyuhiko stood with the wall clock. It was making such a racket the mechanic could barely hear his own words.  
"I don't fuckin' know! This goddamn thing won't shut up!" Fuyuhiko yelled, holding the clock away from him as his life depended on it. Moments later, Hajime and Gundham emerged. Hajime from his room and Gundham from around the corner, both of them looking extremely tired.  
"What is all this incessant ruckus?" The breeder complained, covering his ears. Hajime just mumbled something about it being too early to be awake.  
"The clock won't stop ringin'!" Kazuichi yelled momentarily forgetting what had happened between him and Gundham mere days before.  
"Well, figure something out!" Hajime grunted, looking to Fuyuhiko as he continued to struggle with the clock. He was about to take it from the yakuza when suddenly, it stopped.  
The group looked at each other in confusion.  
"Thank the Gods that awful machine has stopped it's ringing. Now we may return to the realm of slumber." Gundham sighed, and everyone else agreed. They would have all left to go back and get their last hour or two of sleep in if a large crash from the grape tower hadn't startled them all.  
"What the fuck was that?" Fuyuhiko yelped, and everyone just shook their heads.  
"I ain't sure, but we should go see if everyone in the grape house is ok!" Kazuichi suggested, and the rest of them agreed, setting off towards the elevator. He exhaled a small sigh of relief. Maybe Gundham had somehow forgotten about the events that had transpired between the two. With a newfound feeling of hope bubbling up underneath the anxiety, Kazuichi joined the rest of them at the elevator, only to discover someone had smashed the button.  
"Great. Just great." Hajime sighed, looking completely drained.  
"I can try and fix it but it might take a while... is there another way we can get there?" Kazuichi questioned, trying to remain calm on the outside. Deep down, however, he was filled with anxiety. This wasn't looking good. It was incredibly likely that someone was dead.  
The rest of the group agreed to try and find some alternate route while Kazuichi got to work on the elevator, and soon, they split. The mechanic sighed and returned to his room to see if he had enough tools with him to get it up and running again.

Eventually, the group made it to the grape tower, after struggling with a broken button and door handle for some time. They knew something had to have happened, but the sight before them was more confusing than expected. Nekomaru's robotic corpse was scattered in pieces across the floor. Everyone looked shocked, including the others that had arrived. Akane looked like she had just been slapped across the face. She'd yet to confess to him as she had planned. Now, she would never get the chance to. Amidst all the commotion, Kazuichi rushed over to Akane and looked at her with concern.  
"Hey, you okay Akane?" He questioned, even though it was clear that she wasn't. Although her eyes were filled with pain, Akane smiled widely back at the mechanic.  
"Okay as I'll ever be. Let's just find who did this, yea?"  
Kazuichi nodded. He was pretty useless in investigations, but he could still try and help.  
The investigation went by fairly quickly, and there was still time before the trial. Kazuichi thought Akane might need some time alone, so he decided to return to his room and wait it out. If he stayed out, he might run into Gundham, and things would get awkward quickly. So, without a second thought, he locked the door behind him and lay down on his bed, staring at the ceiling. There wasn't much to do other than to get lost in thought, and that was exactly what the mechanic had planned on doing. However, his moment alone only lasted a few minutes, when a knock on the door startled him. Maybe Akane wanted to talk?  
"Comin'" He said, standing up and stretching before going to unlock the door.  
"Hey, what's up-" Kazuichi cut himself short when he saw it indeed wasn't Akane standing there, but Gundham instead.  
"Morta- Kazuichi, I would like to speak with you."  
The mechanic felt his heart leap into his throat. He knew ignoring the kiss wouldn't last him forever, and now, he would have to face the consequences of his actions. He gulped.  
"H-hey, Gundham. What can I do for ya?" He made room for Gundham to come in, who sat down on the empty bed opposing Kazuichi's. This was going to get serious, wasn't it?  
Kazuichi found himself a seat on his own bed, hands settling in his lap. He refused to make eye contact with the breeder.  
"About the other day... what provoked that sudden display?" Gundham questioned, only causing the mechanic's anxieties to heighten.  
"You mean ya didn't figure it out all on your own?" He said with a forced laugh. It didn't help.  
"You do not mean that you secretly harbor affections for me, do you?"  
What was he supposed to say? Lying wouldn't do any good, but he felt like he couldn't say the truth. He'd lied to him so much and fabricated such an intense crush on Sonia that even his true feelings didn't feel real to himself anymore. So what could he do? There was no use in holding it back, even if it felt strange to say aloud.  
"I guess I do."  
The already heavy air became even heavier, and the tension between the pair was so thick you could bite it. Gundham tugged on his scarf in contemplation, and his hamsters all seemed to look at him. Kazuichi could feel the sweat beading on his forehead, which he tried to suppress with his beanie. Minutes went by before any more words were spoken.  
"I'm sorry. I shoulda just said somethin' instead of pullin' that stunt." Kazuichi said with a sigh, finally looking up. Gundham was now looking directly at him, his gaze intense.  
"Do not apologize. I just had no idea you felt that way about me."  
"I sorta hoped that was the case."  
"You are brave for even trying. I am surprised my poisonous skin did not harm you. Perhaps love makes you immune."  
Love? Did he mean Kazuichi's love for him, or did he mean he loved him back? The way he spoke made everything all the more confusing, but it was still endearing in it's own strange way.  
"Guess so." The mechanic said quietly. "Uhm. Was that all you wanted to say, or..?"  
Gundham pulled his scarf over his nose a little, a habit of his for when he was nervous. What did he have to be nervous about? Hadn't he come to say he didn't feel the same way, but they could still be friends? His hamsters squeaked as if trying to urge him to do something. Kazuichi could feel his heart ramming against his chest.  
"That is not all. The truth is, Kazuichi..."  
The mechanic didn't even realize it, but he had begun to hold his breath.  
"...That I do indeed return these feelings. I was unsure of how to go about it. That is why I applaud you for your forwardness."  
Kazuichi released his breath. There was no way this was actually happening. It couldn't be real, Gundham had to be messing with him.  
"You're pullin' my leg, ain't ya? You don't have to lie to save my feelings, ya know."  
"Why would I do such a thing? I may be from the depths of hell, but that does not mean I would purposefully toy with you."  
Kazuichi's heart was beating a million miles a second. After all this time of pining in silence, wishing for the day they could be together that would never come, he had felt the same way? The fact that they were in a killing game seemed like a distant memory now.  
"Woah... I. Wow. Okay. Wait, but what about Sonia?"  
"That is another thing we have in common. A fabricated crush on the dark princess."  
"Does she know?"  
"She does not, which is why we have yet to make anything between us official."  
The room went silent again. It was too soon for them to call their relationship official either, and they didn't know how the others would react. Kazuichi knew Akane would be kind, but not anyone else. There was no guarantee that someone wouldn't hate them for it. Gundham and Kazuichi looked at each other wistfully for a moment, before Gundham stood.  
"Well. That is now said and done. I appreciate that our feelings are mutual." He said, yet his voice sounded almost melancholy. The mechanic stood as well, walking with the breeder to the door.  
"Yeah. Um, can we talk about this more later? Like, what we wanna do?" Kazuichi questioned. Gundham cast his gaze at the floor.  
"I am sure we can find the time."  
"Great. I'll see ya later, then?" He said, and Gundham nodded. It seemed like the optimal moment for them to kiss again, but with Sonia and the others so nearby, it wasn't a good idea. As if thinking the same thing, they both sighed.  
"Until we meet again, Kazuichi." Gundham closed the door. It was a strange way of saying goodbye, but the mechanic didn't care. He felt like he was on the moon. Gundham had returned his feelings all along! Kazuichi was so engulfed in excitement and bliss that he momentarily forgot about Nekomaru's murder and the trial. That was until the Monokuma announcement sounded.

_"Ahem! All students make their way towards the strawberry hall contact elevator! The class trial is about to begin!"_

Kazuichi was snapped from his stupor, quickly exiting his room and regrouping with the others. Akane gave him a strange look when he was acting all giddy, so he tried his best to tone down the happiness. As they all entered the elevator to the funhouse trial room, the breeder and the mechanic made a point to stand near each other, even though they both acted like it wasn't on purpose. Occasionally, as everyone in the group chattered, their fingers would brush together. Every time they did, fireworks exploded in Kazuichi's head. He was on cloud nine. However, he didn't realize how soon he would come crashing back down to earth again.

◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤

As the trial began to draw towards its end, Kazuichi could feel himself growing more anxious, angry and nauseated. All signs pointed to Gundham being the culprit. He didn't want to believe it, he refused to even acknowledge it. But there was nothing he could do. Nekomaru and Gundham had clearly agreed to allow this to take place in an act of sacrifice to save everyone, which in and of itself was incredibly generous, but the mechanic didn't want to hear any of it. He had only just gotten peace with himself, with the love of his life, and now he was going to lose it all again. Kazuichi had to grip the front of his podium in order to keep standing. He could feel himself breaking down with each second, but he couldn't let it show. After all, on the outside, he and the breeder were still romantic rivals, battling head to head for Sonia's heart. How childish. To think he had waited so long that now, he was about to lose everything. What would Ibuki think? She probably would have made him confess ages ago. The idea of that only made it hurt more.  
Hajime finished up his closing argument, and Gundham began to explain his side of the story, as well as give his farewell speech. Everyone looked distraught, but Sonia looked the most broken. After all, she loved him too. Little did she know it, but she wasn't alone in her suffering.  
"...Let us laugh uproariously! That is Gundham Tanaka! I shall stick with my evil until the very end!" For both the princess and the mechanic, it was in one ear and out the other.  
"Open Sesame, Pandaemonium! I shall fill hell with true hell!" Gundham finished his short speech with a laugh, although it sounded pained. Monokuma cackled along with him. All the while, Kazuichi could feel the room spinning.  
"Alright! Let's get this party started, shall we?' Monokuma cried. Sonia let out a loud wail, and everyone else seemed to be wiping away tears of their own. Somehow, his strange speech had moved all of them. Although they were all likely upset about the loss they were about to suffer as well.  
"Please...! You cannot take him!" Sonia cried, gripping her podium so tight her knuckles had turned well. She was saying exactly what the mechanic was thinking. It was getting harder and harder for him to control his emotions, and tears were filling up his vision so that the already mildly blurry room was now a smear. Monokuma ignored the princess, slamming his gavel down on a large red button.  
"Gundham Tanaka had been found guilty! Iiiiiiiiiit's punishment time!" He cried. Gundham was smiling, but his face looked almost blue from fear.

Kazuichi and the remaining students were made to watch Gundham's execution from the sideline. If they tried to interfere like Fuyuhiko had, Monokuma would make them suffer a decidedly less-lethal punishment, assuming they survived. The mechanic wasn't sure how he hadn't thrown up yet. His legs felt like jelly, and his entire body was numb with grief, other than his chest, which was so tight he was barely able to breathe. Even Sonia's cries in the background couldn't distract him from the true despair he was feeling in that moment. Someone placed a comforting hand on his shoulder from behind, likely Akane, but he didn't even notice. His eyes were affixed to the execution floor in front of them, which was the beach. A stampede was rumbling forward from the distance. Kazuichi's body turned to stone as it got closer and closer, the breeder looking composed yet terrified at the same time. He had tried to perform a dark spell of some sort, which didn't work, and as the stampede closed in, Gundham looked off to the side. He and Kazuichi made eye contact for the very last time, and he smiled. The mechanic couldn't contain himself anymore. "GUNDHAM!" He cried out, falling to his knees. Tears began to cloud his vision. In an instant, the breeder was gone. His body lay still in the middle of the beach as the stampede trampled off in the distance. A flood began pouring down Kazuichi's face, and he let out a cry even louder than Sonia had, collapsing forward with another sob. He was gone. Gundham was really, truly gone. There was no way he could get him back now. The love of his life was dead.  
As the execution ended, the bewildered and horror-stricken students returned to the trial room. They were made aware of a new island, but Kazuichi didn't care. He was completely numb, other than the overwhelming feeling of despair that filled him from head to toe. When they were allowed to leave, the mechanic stayed behind a little while to keep distance between him and the group after his display at the execution. Akane had tried to stay behind with him, but he wouldn't let her. He wanted to be alone. In silence, he trudged out of the funhouse and back to the first island where the cottages and restaurant were. Even though he was starved half to death, he didn't touch his food at dinner. He just stared at his plate in silence, other than the occasional sniffle or stray tear. The entire time, however, he felt as if someone was watching him.

That night, long after the Monokuma announcement, Kazuichi found himself sitting on a log at the beach, staring out into the ocean. All he could see when he closed his eyes was Gundham's smile before he was thrown into the air by the stampede, so the mechanic decided to go out for a walk. It lasted much longer than he expected to, but the waves were nice. The noise helped put something in his head other than the awful crunching sound and his own pained cry, although they were still the most prominent things. He would have stayed in a grief trance for hours if a sudden voice behind him didn't shock Kazuichi so much he fell from the log into the sand.  
"Hello, Kazuichi."  
"S-sonia." He sputtered, quickly sitting up and brushing the sand from his jumpsuit. He crossed his legs, and a few moments later, Sonia sat in front of him. She looked just as distraught and disparaged.  
"I take it you were unable to sleep as well?" She said, half smiling. Kazuichi only nodded.  
"Yea, somethin' like that." He mumbled. The princess put her hands in the sand. Silence filled the cool night air, other than the nearby crashing of the waves. After a few painstaking moments, Sonia spoke.  
"I see you have taken this loss just as hard as I."  
Kazuichi bit his lip. He didn't want to outright tell her why, but he didn't want to beat around the bush either.  
"Yea." He mumbled. "I... I miss him already."  
"As do I."  
More silence. There was no point in trying to hide anything, especially after his breakdown.  
"I loved him."  
Sonia looked up from the sand, tears welling in her eyes. She was smiling.  
"I know."  
Hearing her say that was a little surprising, but Kazuichi wouldn't put it past her to have figured it out a long time ago.  
"It did not take me long to figure out the true reason you were trying to get close to me. At first, I was angry. But then I realized that he loved you too, and I resigned myself to the fact it would never be between me and him, as much as I loved him as well."  
Kazuichi exhaled sharply. It hurt to hear her say that, but she seemed okay with it.  
"I'm so sorry for the way I treated ya. Even if it was just my way of hidin' things, you didn't deserve it."  
Sonia wiped the tears that had begun to fall from her face.  
"I appreciate it, Kazuichi. And do not fret, I forgive you. I hope... I hope that you are willing to be my friend."  
Kazuichi's eyes widened in surprise, but a moment later, he smiled in return.  
"I'd like that."

Suddenly, Sonia scooted closer and wrapped Kazuichi into a tight embrace. He was a little shocked at first but quickly hugged her back. Together, they sat at the beach, under the moonlight. They silently cried into each others shoulders. From this point onward, no matter what, they would look out for one another. Gundham wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, this turned out to be way longer than I expected! Sorry if some of the parts seemed to be rushed or boring, as I was trying to get to why I wanted to write this in the first place... angst! Anyways, I hope it was good! If you really enjoyed, consider leaving kudos or a comment? I would really appreciate it as I worked really hard! One last thing. If you liked this, keep an eye out! I'm planning a longer story (like I mentioned before in the beginning notes.)


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